Trace-metal accumulation, distribution, and fluxes in forests of the northeastern United States

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6110385

Friedland, A J

Forest floor was sampled at 78 sites in nine northeastern states in the USA and analyzed for Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cd. Higher levels of trace metals occurred in the southern half of the study region. Earlier work identified that Pb accumulated in the forest floor of the high-elevation regions of New England. The distribution of Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cd within the forest floor was studied at three different forested states in New England. The greatest concentration of Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cd occurred in the Oe horizon of the forest floor in all three forests. This is the zone of greatest biological activity in the forest floor. Because it receives relatively high rates of atmospheric deposition, Camels Hump in northern Vermont was studied in greater detail. Lead concentration and amount in the forest floor increased between 550 and 1160 m elevation. Comparisons with 1966 and 1977 samples from the same stands showed that Pb, Cu, and Zn concentrations increased by as much as 148% in the intervening 14 years. Estimated deposition rates of Pb, Cu, and Zn based on accumulation rates agreed with regional deposition rates reported in the literature. Lead concentrations were an order of magnitude lower in mineral soil and vegetation than in forest floor. Thus the most likely source of forest floor Pb is the atmosphere. Lead was strongly retained by the forest floor and approximately 3% of the current Pb content of the forest floor is added each year by atmospheric deposition. At the current accumulation rates, the amount of Pb in the forest floor will double in three to four decades.

• Research Organization: Pennsylvania Univ., Philadelphia (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6110385
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
CADMIUM
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CORRELATIONS
DEPOSITION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION I
FOREST LITTER
FORESTS
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POLLUTION SOURCES
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VARIATIONS
VERMONT
WASHOUT
ZINC